I have watched this at least 100 times over the years and I never get sick of it. He is a gift. His talent is a gift to us! Thankfully we have some awesome videos to cherish
@@andreww.8709 It's simply stunning. So much there to go into but you have to start with the talent.Not many singers, Sinatra included could do what he did. Just brilliant
hey, i realise this is literally half a decade old (wow that's scary) but for anyone that stumbles onto this comment I just wanted to say I'll never remove this vid and I have it backed up, so if it ever gets taken down I'll make sure it's uploaded again
From what he went through ie Tom Crow, even when he was part of the ," Rat Pack" it's an honour to what's him come through all that. He invented the triple threat, god bless you , Mr Davis
Mr. Davis not only had a beautiful and powerful voice, he could transport you body, soul, and spirit into the depth of his emotion. I was with him there on the banks of the river. This performance brought a tear to my eyes. I miss him very much.
He also brought me to the banks of that river, he brought all of us bloodlines of the used and abused to that rivers edge. No one brings situations to Life like Sammy!. Rest in peace my brother, you will never be forgotten.
Oh yes Pete, He could sing, dance, play musical instruments, he could do impressions, he could entertain 2 hours straight and you'd swear he just started his set. HE WAS THE MAN!!!!!
I’ve watched this at least 100 times and it never gets old. That ending never fails to give me chills. He was one of the greatest entertainers in history!
The most "soulful" rendition of "Ol' Man River" ever. The phrasing, dynamics and pauses are classic Sammy Davis, Jr. I love at the end when he changes the lyrics from "skeered of dyin'" to "but ain't afraid of dyin'.'"
I didn't think any version of this great song could be better than the well-known original sung by Paul Robeson. This is one of the most moving renditions that I've ever heard. Absolutely stunning. Profound respect to Mr. Sammy Davis Jr.
When they make a movie about this great man, as well they should. This has to be the opening song. It captures the pain and greatness of this man. I love him
Come on man I know you're loyal, but, Sammy's version is much better than the original version ! Sammy have a much better singing voice and he put much more emotion into this song I can feel this !!!!
I agree, Sammy lived through racism in the army then in life when he was singing. There was segregation when he went to Las Vegas and Frank Sinatra stepped in and told the hotel owners he was never going to sing there again if they didn’t let Sammy eat and sleep in the hotel where they were performing. It’s why he can sing this song with such feeling. He was a great singer and tap dancer, I loved him.
I2CL it supposed to say he is afraid of dying. It goes "I'm tired of livin but I'm sceared of dyin" to express the existential dilemma a slave faced but I think Sammy wanted to express defiance and courage
thebullybuffalo If I'm correct it has been altered throughout the years, especially compared to the original. Frank sang 'feared', Judy sang 'scared' and each one beautiful. I agree, the power and defiance within his interpretation is moving, must be my favourite.
I2CL they changed the words but they kept the meaning. Sammy changed the meaning here and sang a message he wanted to share and I think he did so fantasticly. Normally the song is a despairing groan but Sammy made it a defiant shout
He was soooo Talented. Entertainer Extrodinaire: Singer, Dancer, Actor, Comedian, Impressionist! What could he not do? He played a bitter gunman looking for revenge in a Rifleman episode. Just Incredible!
No computer animated stuff no autotune just the singer with an incredible voice singing in actually telling the story of the song this was an absolute fantastic performance of this song
Wow! He doesn't try to do Robeson. Sammy never could do that version. I love the way he makes this song his own, giving it just as much emotion as the original. That ending, tho. Chills.
To those of you watching this in 2069, hello from 2022. This man was an entertainer in the purest sense of the word. Hold on to this music and I am glad you are here to appreciate the greatness of Sammy Davis, Jr.
How these people didn't give him a standing ovation was absurd.what they witnessed was the greatest rendition ever performed.sammy Davis jr.was without a doubt the greatest singer and entertainer that ever lived.no one can ever come close to his talents.no one.
Absolutely mesmerising, simply the best performance I’ve ever seen by Sammy which left me spellbound. Such a big voice came out of his small body. Rest in peace dearest Sammy, I’ll never forget you and will forever love and miss you. 💔
JESUS!! I was wondering how he was going to sing this sitting down, especially the climax. He finally does stand up, but that guy had so much power packed into that small body he didn't really need to stand up to draw in a lot of breath. I'm not too crazy how he phrases some of the lyrics, but the final chorus is one of the most powerful, beautiful, tragic things I've ever heard. Chills, indeed.
It gives me goosebumps. What a fantastic interpretation. We almost forget about the slavery and racism and think that people should be friends and together against racism. Great Sammy.
Sammy Davis Jr., a truly gifted performer, humanitarian, and writer. Back in the late 1960s, he wrote his life story in a book titled, "Yes I Can!" which was a real page turner. I was in high school then, and his book really got me in the heart. His book made you laugh, cry, and question life. Driving around Vegas, I always feel his presence on the marquees and at the Moulin Rouge. He was the star who blazed the way for other Black and minority entertainers. An incredible human being!
😂😂Every time I hear this song i can't believe Sammy doesn't get a standing ovation at the end of this song. His singing of this song is like an artist painting a picture of the old south. I wish i had been in the audience that night he would have got what he truly deserved. Keep rolling along Sammy.
Love the ending, Sammy hits some notes that are truly virtuoso, dug out from deep in his soul. Always equated "Bojangles" as Sammys' personal-Ol' Man River.
Sometimes it feels like these days never ended. Our people still stand up before the world and speak about man's indignity to man. It's been a long time coming, the event that will finally make others understand that black lives matter too.
What a voice, what an entertainer! Such power coming from this pint sized man. I respect Mr Davis for daring to fight for and dream that there may come a time when racism would vanish and equality would prevail. This hasn't fully happened, but I appreciate his spirit and the way he always fought for folks like me.
Great comments. I saw Sammy several times in the Detroit area. Fantastic entertainer for all races. This is the best version of o'le man river, surpasses the original for raw emotion.
Gosh, I miss Sammy Davis Jr.!! He was So talented, acting, singing and dancing.. along with a comic side too! RIH Sammy!! Singing with the angel's choir..
Close to tears watching this everytime. The fact I will never be able to experience such talent live like this, like Sinatra, Martin etc. Absolutely wounds me, I'm sure I was born 50 years later than I should have been!
AND Sinatra continued to respect and honour his mate despite that. It was this friendship that developed my respect for Sinatra.- he spoke up loudly against racism.
Sammy didn't sing this song very much, maybe once every year or two, but when he did, he would get a Standing O in the middle of the show. I've seen him sing this in person, and it was even better than this wonderful performance. It was non-stop Chill-City.
The Wonderful talent of Sammy Davis Jr, how privileged have we been to witness his gift to the World. Thank you so much Sammy Davis Jr Peace be with you ❤
Those 20 , or 30 people at the front didn't realise at the time, but they were witnessing the greatest single performance from any performer EVER! The greatest!!!
I always enjoyed listening to Sammy sing when I was a kid. However, I'm blown away at this performance I've never seen before. He's more amazing to me, now that I listen again as an adult. I think this is THE BEST version of the song. I almost cried.
Yes Sammy Davis Jr. !!!!!!! I, too, want to see all Americans being accepted as equal like all Americans that are declared by the U.S. Constitution. You are a loving and kind gentleman to everyone. Am 78 yrs. old and raised in Hawaii !!!!!! Bless you Sammy Davis forever!!!!! Thanks to you and Joseph Hughes for this iconic posting. Gratefully, Robert S.J. Hu July 4, 2020 .
Spellbinding performance by one the All time Greatest performers... who knew how to hold an audience in the palm of his hand.. Brilliant singer dancer comic impressionist and could act not only on screen but like any great singer , through song.. storytelling...He is irreplaceable!
ill tell you this..... MUSIC changed the world. Changed racism. Changed everything and anything. It was music that eventually brought everyone "together".
I was reading the comments at the start of the video about how people were in tears over this video etc. I thought they were just being overdramatic. Then when I heard the ending I got chills. What a singer.
life gets weary, i'm tired of living, but i ain't afraid of dying, that river don't say nothing but it sure must know something. Sammy rest in peace you where the greatest, this is my favorite version, great interpretation.
Frank Sinatra (tenor) did a nice straight version of it too. Look for his 1946 take here on uTube, backed by a massive film studio orchestra and choir...
